Manchester City join Chelsea in facing a crippling transfer ban for signing international youngsters

City are reportedly being probed over deals regarding eight youngsters being brought to the Etihad. According to the latest leak, Fifa investigators are calling for City to be banned from making any signings for two windows

By Martin Lipton

16th November 2018, 1:15 pm

Updated: 16th November 2018, 1:55 pm

MANCHESTER City face a transfer ban after Fifa investigations looked into their transfer policy of international youngsters.

According to the latest document dump as part of the Football Leaks release, published by Danish newspaper Politiken, Fifa investigators are calling for City to be banned from making any signings for two windows.

Chelsea are already under threat of a two-year ban after an inquiry into 14 transfers of minors.

But Politiken claim City are being probed over deals concerning eight youngsters being brought to the Etihad.

It is understood Chelsea and City are among five Premier League clubs under scrutiny over their recruitment policies.

In a statement earlier this week, the world governing body confirmed: “Investigations were opened concerning the club Chelsea FC as well as other English clubs in relation to potential breaches of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

City are already under the spotlight over claims that they hid the true nature of their funding from owners Abu Dhabi United Group

“The proceedings are ongoing and, to date, no decision has been passed by the Fifa judicial bodies.

“Thus, the clubs are to be presumed innocent unless decided otherwise.

“No further information can be provided as the cases are ongoing. Any update will be communicated in due course.”

But City, already in the firing line with Uefa ready to re-open its investigation of alleged Financial Fair Play breaches and claims that they hid the true nature of their funding from owners Abu Dhabi United Group, are braced for Fifa to crack down on them as well.

City are already in the firing line with Uefa who are ready to re-open its investigation of alleged Financial Fair Play breaches

Barcelona, Real Madrid and rivals Atletico have all been hit by transfer bans of up to a year in recent seasons.

City have so far declined to add to their initial statement when the new batch of Football Leaks information was first published two weeks ago, in which the club spoke of “out of context materials purported to have been hacked or stolen”.

City added: “The attempt to damage the club’s reputation is organised and clear.”

The Etihad club, though, have at no point disputed the authenticity of any of the leaked documents or emails.

City executives were told of a proposed payment of £230k to the family of Danish defender Andreas Christensen who was 15 at the time and later ended up at Chelsea

And Politiken’s latest information suggests that in an official document, drafted in the 2012-13 season, City executives were told of a proposed payment of £230,000 to the family of Danish defender Andreas Christensen, who ended up at Chelsea.

The document says City were prepared to pay £314,000 in a transfer fee for the then 15-year-old, with “agents” of £430,000, including “£230k to family”.

Other emails obtained by Football Leaks suggest City spent £200m to acquire 53 young talents over the past five years, recouping some £250m in subsequent transfer fees.

In April 2016, the club’s internal communications read: “Investment in youth players has proved to be profitable.”

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